Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1887-01-14
Christmas Scenes IN the City of
Mexico.
WRITTEN FOR THE GRAPHIC.

WRITTEN FOR THE GRAPHIC.
The Christmas celebrations here
included about one dozen celebra-
tions (posados). They are nearly
all held previous to Christmas day
and are made to represent the
scenes and incidents which occur
red in the journey of Joseph and
the Virgin into Jerusalem. The
Churches and private houses are
made to represent the customs of
the Jews. The altars are made to
represent Jewish inn with a wo-
man mounted on a donkey while a
patriarchal looking man clothed in
q long robe and carrying staff in
his hand, is asking permission to
remain for the night. Camels,
goats, cattle and swine are repre-
sented as standing by while the
surrounding scene represents a
land scape in the Holy land. In
many of these, live donkeys, goats
ETC., are used in the scene. Thus
every night has its peculiar posado
until they are concluded by the
final scene representing the en-
trance into Jerusalem. In this a
beautiful young lady comely
dres sed with a representative Jo-
seph by her side is seen passing
from door to door, seeking lodg-
ing for the night, but is always
refused, and often with bitter
scorn. The doors are shut in
their faces and the unrestrained
dogs seem to taunt them in their
departure. Thus they wander on
hopeless, friendless and alone.
Here the lights are lowered and
the day seems to fade away into
the darkness. Now then cropping
and wandering in hopeless blum
dering way in the distant darkness
seems like the lonely and silent
walk of two spectres in the night.
Here the scene is sad and impress
| sive in the extreme. Along their
; way comfort, peace and plenty
have gathered around the hearth
stone of thousand homes and be-
tween the folds of rich curtains
they can see the bright lights
within. Here and there a bright
ray like a tantalIzing mockery
shines out in the darkness and
falls in their pathway, only to
make the darkness darker and
their loneliness more lonely. Soon
t however the Virgin with that fea1
/ and timmidity common to her sex
S is seen to enter a lonely stsblc. AL
is now intensified darkness, and
there is not sound, save the
l heavy breathing of the sleeping
g anima.s within. But soon sleep
e ing donkey is aroused and raises
r to his feet at the approach of the
strange visitor and wanderer o.
the night. Other animals catcl
the excitement and there is a gen
= eral commotion among the focks
n Now an intense excitement pei
vades the assembled multitude les
!, the night watchman of the Jew
Il appear on the scene, only to re
1t produce the sad picture of being
o turned adrift out in the darkness
l. but he does not and all sink into
solemn stiffness, which is only sur
passed by the intense darkness
that covers all. Thus darkness
continues until in the east of tn
great building there appears
l. bright star of Bethlehem. All eye
NJ behold it rising, as it were, out Q
"a darkness. 1t passes upward an
- onward until it stops directly owe
'a the great altar, behind whic
le there Is rude little manager
i partly filled with hay and i
b. which the image representing tn
= Infant Savior is found, wrapped j
~ swaddling clothes, nestled away i
le the hay. 1t is taken up, kisse
n and brought before the altar b
th the chief priest, with the words g
l. usted esta dea un Salvador c
- nacia" or unto you this day
Il Savior is born"
ct The scene which then followe
to must be seen to be realized. Th
an fife and drum, base-viol, clarione
70 flute, trumphets, rattle bones, an
~ tambourine, were strained to the
% utmost, while they played SON
&C. of the merriest music | have evt
"a, heard. To these were added IL
of songs of redemption sung by Ill
49, seen choirs, and spanish and lat
u chants with an occasional prolonI
IL ed and, combined strain of lou
W. hallelujahs. Many of the corgr
To- CATION clapped their hands al
D. shed tears of Joy while the feet
D others kept time to the merl
' music. Hoary priests who stot
re in the altar clothed in their sacrt
lbt vestments and who by solen
he meditation have acquired gra
is- cast of countenance, now wo
happy smiles, as an approval
Ae the general rejoicing. The son
ect and twittering of many birds we